The Commission of Inquiry into illegal phone taping at Garda stations is set to be given an extended deadline.

The Fennelly Commission was due to report back before the end of the year - but is now set to be given more time to finish its work.

Justice Niall Fennelly has previously expressed concern that the sheer volume of taped conversations would make it impossible to issue an early report.

It is understood that the deadline will be extended, most likely to next September, when an interim report is published later in the week.